


Tired

by lillian_spero



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Lonely Lance (Voltron), Platonic Cuddling, Sad Lance (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:28:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26945200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lillian_spero/pseuds/lillian_spero
Summary: Lance is having a bad brain day. Shiro understands.
Relationships: Lance & Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 46





	Tired

**Author's Note:**

> Here you go, I guess. I didn’t even edit this so I apologize if it makes no sense and is terrible. Just some good ol projection.

Lance lay in his bed staring at the ceiling. He was tired. Not physically, but mentally. He wanted to sleep, just so he could stop. Stop feeling, stop thinking. Stop breathing.

No, he didn’t want that. He was just tired. 

He sighed quietly to himself. He knows he should go talk to someone. Everyone on the team has offered their help before. He knows they’d be willing to listen. He knows, but his mind is yelling otherwise.

He shouldn’t go to them.

He shouldn’t talk to Shiro. He loved the man but he was clearly suffering. He hasn’t slept well, his time as Champion haunting his nightmares. The team found him asleep on one of the couches and decided to leave him there. It was the first time he’s slept in a few days. Lance shouldn’t wake him up. Even though Shiro has said it’s okay, Lance shouldn’t. 

Allura and Coran were out of question. They lost everything in a matter of seconds. They’re still in the process of grieving. They shouldn’t have to worry about him on top of everything that’s happened.

Lance refused to go to Pidge. She was like a younger sister to him. He should protect her and keep her safe from as much as he can, himself included. He would be embarrassed if he talked to her, anyway. 

He would usually talk to Hunk. Hunk always knew what to say and do, even when Lance didn’t. But Hunk was working on an important project. He couldn’t distract him. Hunk was already stressed and anxious about the project. He shouldn’t be bothered by Lance’s problems.

And that left Lance with Keith. Keith wasn’t exactly the best option. He was awkward and had no idea where to even start with comforting people. If anything, his solution would be to spar, which would make Lance feel worse about himself and lack of hand to hand combat. 

Which left Lance with no one but himself. He sat up and threw his feet over the side of the bed. He knew it would be time for dinner soon. He knew he should get up and meet the other Paladins for dinner. He was just so  _ tired _ .

He felt his eyes sting with tears and squeezed them shut in an attempt to keep the tears at bay. He took a deep breath and laid down, curling up on his side.

No one has seen him today. They all got up at different times, seeing as it was an off day. None of them have breakfast together on these days usually. Then lunch was a free for all as they worked on different projects. The only time they really gathered was for dinner. If he didn’t show up for dinner, they would know something was wrong. They would know he hadn’t left his room all day. They would  _ know _ but he just  _ can’t. _

He choked in a sob as it threatened to break free. He grabbed a pillow and curled around it, burying his face. Why was it so hard to just get up? He didn’t want to be alone and yet he couldn’t find it in himself to get up and be around others. 

He was so tired of being tired.

A gentle knock on the door distracted him from his thoughts. “Lance? You coming?”

Lance sucked in a breath and held it. It was Shiro.

“Lance?” Shiro tried again. Lance curled tighter around his pillow in hopes of stopping his shaking hands. “I’m coming in, okay?”

He heard the door slide open and soft footsteps approach his bed. He felt a dip in the bed behind him.

“Hey, are you feeling okay?” Shiro asked quietly. Lance nodded and squeezed his eyes shut. Despite his nod, Shiro put a hand on his forehead.

“You don’t seem sick. Is there a different reason you haven’t left your room all day?” Shiro asked. 

“I left my room,” Lance said quietly. 

“You’re right. You left once, found me asleep on the couches, and then went back into hiding,” Shiro said. 

Lance said nothing.

Shiro sighed, “Please talk to me buddy. I want to help you. What’s going on inside that head of yours?”

Lance shook his head. “Nothing,”

“Alright,” Shiro nudged Lance’s shoulder and scooted closer to him. “Scoot over, these beds are small and I’m a pretty big guy.”

Lance inched towards the wall, refusing to look at Shiro. He felt him lay down next to him but still had his face buried in the pillow.

“You need to eat Shiro,” Lance muttered.

“Yeah, you do too,” Shiro said. Lance shook his head.

“You’re more important.” Lance heard Shiro grunt and felt him shifting around behind him.

“Ugh, these things really are made for one person,” Lance snorted. “Lance, no one is more or less important than anyone. We are equals. You need to eat just as much as I do.”

“Not hungry,” Lance said.

“Alright, I’m not either.” Shiro replied. They sat in silence for a few minutes until Lance rolled over and stared at Shiro. The older man was laying on his back with one leg dangling off the bed. His arms were laying across his stomach and he had his eyes closed. He looked so peaceful.

“You ready to talk yet?” Shiro asked quietly. Lance sniffed and shook his head. “Whenever you’re ready.”

“I’m not gonna talk Shiro,” Lance said, annoyance creeping into his tone. Shiro peeked out of one of his eyes and lifted an eyebrow.

“I’m not leaving until you do,” Shiro said. Lance huffed and laid back down, resuming the silence between the two.

“Why do you do this?” Shiro whispered. Lance stayed silent. “You reach out and help everyone when they are hurt or suffering but you put yourself to the side. You refuse help and you hide from it. You ignore yourself and spend all of your time and energy on helping others. I just-  _ why?” _

Lance’s bottom lip wobbled as he looked down at his hands. He could feel Shiro staring at him but he refused to meet his eyes.

“I can’t… I’m not as bad as the others. I can handle it but they, you shouldn’t have to. I can’t bother everyone with myself because you're all going through so much. All I have is some stupid thoughts every once in a while. It doesn’t matter and I won’t burden anyone with them,” Lance responded. He gasped as Shiro’s arms wrapped around him and pulled him into a tight embrace.

“You are  _ never  _ a burden,” Shiro growled. “I’m here, I’m always here.” Lance hid his face in Shiro’s chest as heavy sobs tore from his throat. Shiro rocked the two of them, holding Lance even tighter.

“I’m so tired Shiro,” Lance whispered after he caught his breath.

“Then sleep. We can eat later.” Lance nodded his head and closed his eyes. In the warmth of Shiro’s arms, he slept.


End file.
